Tests of Terror
by ShastamaeFirepool
Summary: This is the tail of three cats who's skills and wits will be put to the test as they are faced with their worst nightmares. The clans have changed and now to be a warrior, you must complete the tests. These tests are put on by the three terrors, testing each cat differently as their warrior assessment. If you pass you become a brave warrior, if not you are never seen again. Rated T
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Hello this is yet another story. I know I need to work on my other ones but guess what. Weird fact- the more stories I have to work on, the more I write. Yup. **

**I came up with this idea after begging up all night terrified after watching a scary movie. Yup. I'm a scardycat sometime. **

**Anywho... Disclaimer- I don't own warriors **

**enjoy! **

These are the tails of cats who's skills and wits are put to the test as they are faced with their worst nightmares. These tests are put on by the three terrors, they test each cat differently as their warrior assessment. If a cat can face their fears, they live and are a better asset to their clan as a warrior. If not, they are never seen again.

Prologue-

Brothers, sisters, daughters, sons. All can be lost to the Tests. The tests take a cat to the very limit of their strength and will. Everything is a test. Everything is a lie. The terrors play tricks on your mind and for a moon, you cannot rest.

Always be alert. Always fear. Always think twice.

These are the things my mentor told me about the tests. He cares about me though I may die. My tests start tomorrow.

Tonight I was given a feast of farewell. Every cat fears for me. Though this occasion will be strange. The terrors have asked that two others accompany me. One from ThunderClan, one from ShadowClan. They were born within the same moon as I and we will test together.

I myself am from WindClan.

Tigerpaw is the oldest.

Ravenpaw is the youngest.

I, Kestrelpaw, am in the middle. The two toms are my friends and I know that together we can be warriors.

**please review. It really does inspire me to write more. And it's helpful to know what you think. :D thanks for reading. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N thanks to those who viewed/reviewed. I have to hurry so ill get right to it. **

**Disclaimer- I don't own warriors. **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 1-

It it raining heavily but we are still being led to what very well could be our deaths. My small paws, usually a light honey color, are now dark and muddy. My pelt, usually fluffed and and dry, is now pressed against my body streaked with icy rain.

I look up at the darkening sky. Why must we go through this? What does it prove?

As a kit my mother told me that a good warrior always has a little fear, for that's what gives us courage. A little caution, for that's what gains us knowledge. A little faith, for that's what gives us strength.

Remembering that both strengthens me and saddens me. My mother was taken from us by Greencough the Leafbare I was born. Just before my apprentice ceremony.

"Move along." Meows the Tom standing behind me. A warrior. He has gone through these tests. Even though it is different for every cat, he might be able to help.

"Can you give me any advice?" I ask trying to calm my voice, it fails.

He looks at me with a bit of sympathy. "Just, always trust your instincts. Don't try to go above and beyond. Survive and never stay in one place too long." He meows quietly, looking around at the other warriors.

I think about this, it is helpful but what does it really help?

We soon stop in a dark clearing, a little over two days journey from the territories. It is dark, and closed in, and energy draining.

"This is where we leave you." Meows a warrior, Thornstreak. He says it so matter-of-factly that it sucks out any hope of getting out of this. "Remember, survive for a moon with the Terrors and you become a warrior. If you try to return before the end if your tests you will be banished, should you survive. We will return for any survivors one moon from now."

They turn to leave and Ravenpaw and Tigerpaw draw closer towards me.

"We're in this together now." Meows Ravenpaw, he is shaking like a leaf but feels the need to say the words.

Together. Maybe we do have a chance. In the clans now, apprentices have more of a chance of meeting and gaining friends in other clans. It is encouraged by the leaders in fact. The clans are so small now. A battle, moons ago with a large rouge group. They took many of our numbers before we destroyed them.

Since then the clans have been at peace, well almost. You could never make them permanently peaceful, we are clan cats after all. Fighting is in our blood.

I smile at the thought, though the feeling is quickly crushed by a noise.

A low creaking noise. Soon it becomes louder, I am aware of something moving on the outside of my vision. The creaks are joined by rustles of leaves and the cracking of branches. Then I realize.

"The clearing is closing in on us." I whisper

We turn our backs to each other and stand in a close circle, watching in horror as the vines, leaves, bushes, and even the trees themselves move to create a wall around us.

"Th-this is it I guess." Ravenpaw whispers

"I guess it is." Tigerpaw replies trying to see into the wall

The noise, all of it, suddenly changes. It goes from a groaning creaking mass, to laughter. The wall stops moving, the clearing gets darker, and three she cats step out from the shadows.

"Welcome to the tests!" They yowl in unison.

I fall back in surprise. The terrors are not what I expected. The first is a beautiful young she cat, about the age of a young warrior. Her light gray pelt is shining even in the dark.

The second is an elderly she cat. She looks like a terror. Her fur is matted and ginger, her eyes are such a dark amber they spear red.

The third she cat looks strange. She is obviously the leader. Her pelt appears to be changing constantly, though staying dull. I can't even begin to guess her age and I don't want to.

"We are the Terrors." They meow in unison "The tests will begin at moonhigh when the night is brightest. You will be tested in all the skills you ever learned and you will be forced to the very limits of yourselves in every way."

They sit and are silent.

Not wishing to break the silence, and still on our guard, we sit with our backs still to each other. I still wonder if this is the first test or if we really have to wait.

"On your guard still?" Asks the youngest terror when the moon is nearly high. She doesn't wait for an answer. "Good, it will serve you well to be aware."

My back is to her but I don't dare move.

Soon, as the moon reaches its peak in the sky, they start chanting.

It starts soft but soon grows louder and faster paced. I again hear the rustling and groaning of the nature mass. I feel the warm pelts of Ravenpaw and Tigerpaw against my own, they are tensed and watchful.

Then they are gone. I whirl around to find myself surrounded by walls and paths of bushes and rock.

"The first test must be completed alone." Meow the combined voices of the Terrors.

I look around and find that I have two choices. Left, and right. The Terrors have created a labyrinth.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N alright, before you read just know that I bounce between POVs a lot. I promise that this isn't a regular occurrence it just seemed to fit the chapter. **

**Disclaimer- I don't own warriors**

**enjoy! **

Chapter 2-

I should have chosen left. I've been traveling on the path towards the right for over an hour and I am now at a dead end. For a test, it's actually not that scary. It's unnerving yes, and frustrating but I feel that the real test is something else.

I turn around and walk down the next turn in the path. The strange thing is, I don't even know what I'm working towards. A way out? The middle? My friends? A crazed monster? I have no idea.

Crack!

I whip around at the sound of a twig. There is nothing behind me. I whirl to the front again at another sound.

Great. I wanted the test, now here it is I suppose.

I decide the only option I have is to keep moving. So slowly and quietly I continue forward, my ears open for any noises.

Suddenly sharp claws grab my pelt. I let out a frightened screech and try to tear myself away. The claws hold but do nothing else, I turn to look only to mentally yell at myself. They are not claws but thorns on a vine clinging to the maze wall. I wiggle around before getting free, leaving a tuft of pale brown fur behind.

"Harebrained kit." I murmur before moving on shakily.

...

Ravenpaw-

The feel of fur disappears from behind me and all I can see is rock.

"The first test must be completed alone." Meow the voices of the Terrors.

What?

"No no no no! Tigerpaw! Kestrelpaw?" I yowl at the walls

"This can't be happening!"

I sit and take in my surroundings. This is a maze. How am I supposed to find them? Which way do I go?

Crack!

The sound of a twig snap decides for me. I take off in the opposite direction of the noise at a dead sprint. I turn right once, then left twice, then I loose track.

I turn down many paths and get turned around three times before I stop.

Something is wrong.

I've seen this place before. I have been running in circles!

"Oh I'm such a mousebrain!"

I sit down and smooth my short black fur. Calm down.

"There must be a logical way to figure this out." I meow aloud. It just feels better to hear a voice, even my own. "Now what do I know? I know that, um, nothing."

I know nothing about this situation. Do I look for the end? For the Terrors? Wait for my test, or is this the test?

"Fine! I can't stand it." I meow before standing again and heading in the opposite direction than I did last time.

As I reach the first right turn off I stop. There is something behind me. I close my eyes and take a breath before I slowly turn around.

Behind me, is a tiny black-furred she-kit.

...

Tigerpaw-

"The first test must be completed alone." Meow the voices of the Terrors, though it sounds more like their laughing at us.

I am now surrounded by thick walls of bushes and undergrowth and whatever else is in the walls. Of course, a maze. My instinct is to run blindly and be afraid. No use in that. I might think.

I look around. There are three choices, left, right, forward.

"Alright, I'll go right. If I am correct that is the way back toward the lake. Maybe there is an exit there." I mumble out loud.

I stand and trot over to the right path. Wait, what if I mark I with a stone or something in case I get turned around somewhere. Then I just might be able to find my way back.

I look around the small clearing again and see a large stone, still small enough for me to move but bigger than a pebble. I pick it up with my teeth and place it by the entrance of the path. I take a deep breath and walk forward, not knowing that I had unknowingly done exactly what the Terrors had wanted.

After a while, I come across another group of paths, four this time.

I hear a faint crack, probably a twig. Soon i hear another one. I pay them no mind until I hear the screech that follows them a moment later. It's Kestrelpaw.

"Kestrelpaw!" I yowl

There is no reply.

I take off in the direction of the sound. But it is hard to follow a noise when no others follow it.

"Stop." I say to myself. "It probably wasn't her. This is just a trick of the test."

I shake myself and keep walking.

...

"Tiger, Kestrel, Raven." Meows a voice

"Bravery, Wits, Intelligence." Replies another, older, rasping voice

Another she cat smiles at her sisters. "Destined to hear the others pain. Destined to fight again and again.

Destined to fear and to be blamed." She whispers in a soft voice.

"Lets see what our brave warriors do about this."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N ok I'm sorry for not updating. My wifi was messed up and I couldn't log in at all but I'm back! It's a bit short bout that's ok for now. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own warriors**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 3-

Ravenpaw

"Willowkit?" I ask

The small kit stares at me before breaking into a smile. I stare at her, not even believing. My sister has returned.

"Willowkit, why are you here?" I ask

She continues to smile, then darts away down the path.

"Willowkit come back! The maze is dangerous!" I yowl, but seeing no reaction I run after her.

For a three moon old kit she is very fast. She leads me left down a narrow path. I notice that the farther down we go, the colder it gets. The path is now noticeably going uphill but still she runs faster then I. As we go uphill the light fades and I have the feeling that something is terribly wrong.

For a moment I loose sight of her and I run faster. When I reach a dead end I see her sitting calmly just in front of the wall. It's as if she hasn't been running this while time.

Oh. Oh what a fool I am. Willowkit is not here. She is in StarClan, where she has been since our camp was attacked all those moons ago. This is a test. But of what?

I look back towards "Willowkit" and gasp. She is growing. Growing into a large, black-as-night, long-clawed she cat.

"Ready to fight me young warrior?" She laughs.

I take a fighting stance and she sits. She doesn't move to fight me.

I don't let my guard down for moment. I know what she's trying to do. Soon, tired of sitting and seeing that I won't let my guard down, she springs easily to her feet. In this time she has probably planed out half a million was to kill me already.

She suddenly leaps toward me, paws extended and claws out.

I leap back and quickly bring my paws up to claw at her. When I should have reached her, she isn't there. I look around wildly but she is gone.

Then I see her. Down the path a bit. I race towards her and she doesn't move. I pounce on her with my claws extended.

"No! Help!" Screeches the cat. She is Willowkit once again. I have hurt my sister.

"Willowkit I'm so sorry!" I yowl as she races away. She stops and turns to look at me.

"No. You're not." She says "You left me. That evil cat got me. Your not sorry."

I am sprinting away before I can hear anymore. I don't even care where I end up. Left, right, straight? It doesn't matter. I am running from the truth. But the truth finds me even in my fleeing.

I did leave her. Our camp was attacked by rogues when we were three moons old. The cats tried to raid the nursery to gain members for their group. When the rogues got past the fighting queens I froze. I was terrified. When a large Tom came toward us cowering in our nest, I ran. I ran past the other cats like a blur. My sister still half asleep in the neat. Soon all thoughts of my sister are gone. All thoughts of anything ate gone except for one thing.

Run.

So I ran.

I am still running.


End file.
